Last Shot
by dulugirl114
Summary: Every school has those certain people who just don’t fit in. Todd was that kid through out his entire high school career at East High. Finally in his senior year he has had all he can take. Minor Troyella.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Every school has those certain people who just don't fit in. They're different than everyone else in some way no one can explain. Todd was that kid through out his entire high school career at East High. Finally in his senior year he has had all he can take. Minor Troyella.

_Last shot_

It was the first day of spring. The sun was shinning and birds were chirping as Todd Stone stared out the window. It was ironic really. It could be so beautiful outside, but here inside the school it was as gloomy as ever. Most students felt this way, but for Todd it was especially true. School was a living hell for him. The work wasn't that bad. No, it was the other students that bothered him. Ever since he had moved here in the middle of freshman year it had been like this. Walking down the halls knowing people were staring and talking about you is the worst experience anyone can go through. What was worse was when people were nice to you. Seeing their fake smiles and hearing their sarcastic comments made Todd's stomach churn.

Todd snapped back to reality when he heard his name being called. He adjusted his square glasses and looked up to see his English teacher, Mrs. Keppel, smiling at him. "Good work. I was really impressed with your essay. One of the best." She handed him back his paper labeled with a large red A. This wasn't an unusual grade for him. When you don't have a great social life you have to spend your time doing something. It might as well be studying.

The bell rang and Todd stood up, gathering his books and headed for the door. A foot shot out in front of him and Todd stumbled over it, sending his books and glasses flying. He heard a voice laugh above him. "You need to watch where you're walking, loser." There was more laughter and then the voice walked out of the room. There was no doubt who it was. Chad Danforth had had it out for him since the beginning of sophomore year. Todd had corrected Chad when he was presenting a project in science making Chad look like he didn't know anything about his project. Chad hadn't gotten a great grade on the project and blamed him for it all. He had been bulling Todd ever since.

Todd felt around the ground for his glasses, found them, and put them on. When he could finally see again he was a girl's hand picking up his books. He looked up and saw what looked like an angel. It was Gabriella Montez. Todd had had a crush on her since she had moved here last year. She was the girlfriend of a Troy Bolton, one of the guys that had been bulling him since the beginning. Chad had probably turned Troy against him. That wouldn't be that big of a surprise.

"Here." Gabriella said handing Todd his books." I'm really sorry Chad tripped you again. He just has problems." She smiled. Todd didn't really know what to say, but before he could come up with something Troy walked in.

"Come on, Gabi. We're going to be late for lunch." Troy said, then seeing Todd, "He can pick up his own books. Let's go." Gabriella sighed. She looked at me one more time and smiled. She got up off the floor and followed Troy out of the room.

_Last Shot_

Lunch was Todd's least favorite time of the day. Usually he brought his lunch, but today he had been in a hurry to leave home and forgot to make it. The food here wasn't so bad, but finding a table to sit was hard. When he brought lunch he could easily just sit down at an empty table and basically claim it. No one would sit down at the table with him. It was like he had a disease or something.

Today was harder though. People were scattered all over the cafeteria filling all of the tables. Todd looked around the room searching for an available table. Seeing none, he decided to sit outside. It was a beautiful day after all.

Todd started walking towards the door to go outside when a familiar shoe popped out of no where. This time Todd saw the foot before he could fall. Todd looked to his left to see Chad staring at him.

"Darn. I guess I'm losing my touch, huh loser?" He turned himself around in his chair to face the rest of his friends. Todd looked around the table. Taylor McKessie, Kelsi Neilson, Zeke Baylor, and Jason Cross were huddled around the table picking at their lunches. Jason had started laughing and pointing at him, but it didn't bother Todd. Jason did anything to fit in with his friends.

Before Todd had a chance to move on towards the door again, he heard someone call his name. It was Gabriella. Todd turned around. He stared at her like she was an angel sent from above. He watched her lips as they moved saying words he couldn't hear.

"Hello, Todd?" Gabriella asked, "Do you want to sit with us or not?" Todd nodded a little too eagerly and placed his tray down between Gabriella and Troy. Troy looked at Todd with disgust. Why would his girlfriend suddenly decide that this loser was going to be her new best friend?

"Uh, I'll see you later Gabi. I can't be late for gym. We'll talk later." Troy said standing up from the table. Chad and Jason got up and followed him out of the cafeteria.

Gabriella waved as Troy left then turned back to Todd. "This is Taylor, Kelsi, and Zeke. Guys, this is Todd. He's in English with me and Chad." She said. No one said anything. Gabriella pretended that her friends weren't annoyed at her for inviting someone new their table. What was so wrong with Todd that they couldn't act like normal people around him? He was a person just like them.

Lunch went on like this for another twenty minutes. Gabriella tried to make small talk with Todd, but got very little response from him. Finally, Todd said, in a whispered tone, he had to go or he would be late for class.

_Last Shot_

"I just don't get why you have decided that this guy is going to be your new best friend. I mean, why waist your time on him? He doesn't ever say anything to you. I swear, I haven't ever heard him say a word since he got here." Troy said to Gabriella as he stood next to her at her locker. He usually drove her home after school in his old beat up Ford pickup truck.

"I know he doesn't say much, but he is a wonderful writer. Have you seen anything he has written before. When I stayed after class to help Mrs. Keppel sort through some of her paperwork, I found one of his essays. It was really good. It made me think about why he doesn't ever talk to anyone. And I think I know why it is. It's you and Chad and all the rest of the basketball team. Espsially Chad. I don't know why, but he has it out for Todd bad." Gabriella pulled out her math book from her locker and put it in her book bag.

"I don't know what his deal is, but I have never said anything to offend him. Ever." Troy replied.

Gabriella shut her locker and slung her bag over her shoulder. "You don't have to say anything to be mean." She started walking down the hallway towards the doors to the parking lot.

"What have I ever done to him, Gabriella? Name one time I've acted like a jerk around him." Troy quickened his pace to catch up with her. Gabriella rolled her eyes and turned around to face him.

"It's not what you have done it's what you haven't done. Have you ever thought what it would be like to be him? To be someone who has never heard anything say anything nice about him? To be all alone in the hell of a school? And to make matters worse, you have Chad and the rest of the team ridiculing you all day. You have never stood up for him, Troy. You have sat around watching Chad slowly kill this kid inside. You haven't done anything to help him." She stood there staring into Troy's hypnotizing blue eyes. How could he not understand this?

"What am I supposed to do? I'm not Chad's keeper. Its not my job to make sure he isn't picking on other kids. How is it my fault that the kid doesn't know how to communicate with other people? Why should I waste my time trying to be nice to him?" Troy said. He was starting to get irritated at Gabriella.

"Because it is the right thing to do." Gabriella turned on her heel and walked back towards the science room to pick up a book she had forgoten.

"Where are you going?" Troy called after her.

Gabriella ignored him and kept walking. This was a new side of Troy she had never seen before. Gabriella thought that the reason Troy was acting this way was because he had never been made fun of in his life. He had always been the popular one. Someone who could do something stupid, like fall down the stairs or walk down the hall with his zipper open, and no body would laugh at him. People like Troy had it made. Todd on the other hand…

Gabriella turned the corner of the hallway that the classroom was on. The hall was dark except for one single light that was shinning out of the science room, casting erie shadows against the walls. Gabriella stopped. This looked like something that would be in a horror movie. Maybe she didn't need that book so bad. _No, no don't be a wuss _Gabriella thought to herself. She swallowed her fear and began walking again. It was probably just the teacher who had stayed late after school. Yeah, that was it.

As she came closer to the door Gabriella heard a loud noise coming from inside. It sounded like a knife hitting a chopping block. _Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!_ Gabriella screamed in her head. Mustering up what little courage she had and looked inside the room.

Towards the back of thee room she saw a figure wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood up. He was standing at one of the sinks with his back to the door. Dripping down the counter from the sinks was a dark red liquid beginning to puddle onto the floor. _Blood_.

**So what did you think? It's the first time I have ever done anything like this so I'm not sure how good it is. I'll tell you now that it isn't much of a love story. Just a warning.**


	2. Chapter 2

Last Shot

Chapter 2

**We'll see how this goes. I really like this story, but I don't know... **

_Gabriella turned the corner of the hallway that the classroom was on. The hall was dark except for one single light that was shinning out of the science room, casting eerie shadows against the walls. Gabriella stopped. This looked like something that would be in a horror movie. Maybe she didn't need that book so bad. No, no don't be a wuss Gabriella thought to herself. She swallowed her fear and began walking again. It was probably just the teacher who had stayed late after school. Yeah, that was it._

_As she came closer to the door Gabriella heard a loud noise coming from inside. It sounded like a knife hitting a chopping block. Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Gabriella screamed in her head. Mustering up what little courage she had and looked inside the room._

_Towards the back of thee room she saw a figure wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood up. He was standing at one of the sinks with his back to the door. Dripping down the counter from the sinks was a dark red liquid beginning to puddle onto the floor. Blood._

The hooded figure turned around towards the noise at the door. Gabriella stood paralyzed at the door. This was going to be the end. She would never get to see her mother again. She wouldn't ever go to college or join a sorority or become president or...

The figure turned quickly to face the sink. He turned it on and washed the blood off of his hands. After they were clean, he turned back to the door. "Hello, Gabriella."

_I'm going to die!_ Gabriella thought. "Um, hi." she squeaked out.

The figure let out a low laugh. He had been quite enjoying her fearing him. Surprised that Gabriella hadn't figured out who he was, he reached up and pulled his hood down.

"Oh. Thank God, its just you." Gabriella sighed.

Todd pushed his glasses back into place. _Yeah, its just me. Nothing to be afraid of. _Todd thought. Gabriella started towards him.

"What are you doing here? Why is there blood everywhere?" Gabriella asked.

Todd ran his fingers threw his hair like he had seen Troy do a million times. "I, um, I was just doing some extra credit work for Mrs. Hart. You know chopping the heads off of the frogs and stuff." _Wow that sounded really lame._ He thought.

"Oh. Cool." Gabriella looked into the sink to find a bucket of frog heads surrounded by a pool of blood. She shivered. "I was just back here to pick up my science book. I'm always forgetting it." Gabriella crossed the room and looked under her table to find her forgotten book. She felt uncomfortable knowing Todd was probably watching her the whole time. Gabriella felt bad for him, but this was a little weird. Todd needed to find someone more like him. Not that Gabriella didn't want to be his friend or anything. She just didn't want to be his only friend.

She picked up her book and headed for the door. _Wait a second..._ she thought. Gabriella had an idea. "Hey Todd? Do you want to go to the basketball game one Friday?"

Todd looked at Gabriella for a minute. Was she asking him, Todd Elizar Stone, out on a date? _This may be the only chance I have with her _he thought. "Uh, sure. I'll meet you here at six?"

"'Kay. Bye Todd." Gabriella said as she turned around and walked out of the classroom.

"Bye." Todd said softly, almost to himself.

_Last Shot_

Todd walked into the already half full gym. It was only 5:30, but he always tried to fashionably early. He walked up the bleachers and sat down in a spot that could easily be found from every entrance. The basketball team was warming up on the court. Troy and Chad were finishing up a drill when Chad spotted Todd half way up the stands.

"Look what the dog drug in." Chad said patting his poofy hair.

"I think its what the cat drug in, Chad." Troy said standing beside him.

"Whatever, man. He's still a geek. I don't know what hes doing here. I didn't think social settings were his style. Maybe he should go back home and play War of the Worlds or something." Chad laughed.

Troy rolled his eyes. "War of the Worlds is a book, and why don't you lay off man? What did he ever do to you?" From behind the boys a whistle blew.

"Bolton! Danforth! Come one!" the coach called headed toward the locker room. The game would start soon and they had to review their plans.

"All I know is that that little nerd needs to watch his back." Chad said and headed out of the gym. Troy was about to leave when he saw Gabriella walk in. He almost went to go talk to her, but then remembered what she said. _Maybe __after the game..._ he thought.

_Last Shot_

it was half time and the Wildcats were up by 20 points. Even though Todd wasn't much of a sports fan he knew this wasn't that great of a game. Pretty boring actually. Gabriella had come around a six and had found him easily. The whole first half of the game had been pretty awkward between them. They had talked about school and the weather for a little while, but they just didn't have that much in common. "Do you want a drink or something? I'll go get it." Todd offered.

"Um, yeah I guess so. I'll come with you." Gabriella got up off of the seat and followed Todd down the bleachers. They walked towards the concession and ordered two Cokes and a bag of popcorn. While they were still ordering, the teams came back out to warm up before the game started again. Chad had already figured out what he would do. He motioned for Troy and Jason to follow him. Chad walked over to where Todd was fixing the lid on his drink. _This is really dumb but if it works..._ Chad thought. He was right behind Todd now. Chad reached out and pushed him up.

It all happened so fast. Todd didn't know what happened until it was all over. Chad had made him loose his balance causing Todd to throw his drink all over Troy's jersey. Todd fell to the floor right on his nose and heard a crack. _Damn it!_ Todd thought. Blood was starting to gush out of his nose now. He could hear Troy yelling at him about his stupid jersey and a girl behind him laughing. It was either Gabriella or Jason's laugh sounded very similar Todd's mother's. Todd stood up and held his nose to try to control the bleeding. Everyone was staring at him. Chad was laughing his head off. Gabriella just looked at the ground. Troy was still yelling, but Todd didn't hear anything he was saying.

"That was better then I could have ever expected!" Chad laughed. Todd just looked at him. What did he ever do to Chad? This couldn't be over the thing in Freshman year, could it? But what really had Todd's attention now was Gabriella. Todd turned to her.

"You set this up didn't you? Is this why you asked me to come here? I thought you were better then this, Gabriella." Todd said. He couldn't stay here anymore. This was about all he could take. Todd stormed out of the gym still clutching his nose. He could faintly hear Gabriella call after him, but he ignored her. She had done enough for one night.

**These chapters are kind of short I know, but who really likes to sit and read 8,000 words? Anyway this chapter and the next one are kind of hard for me to right, but it'll be worth it for the ending. I know the thing with Chad was cheesy, but i couldn't think of anything else to do to Todd.**


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